Locking device for interlocking switch stands



lsept. 22, 1925.

1,554,543 F. c. ANDERSON LOCKING DEVICE FOR INTERLOCKING SWITCH STANDS Filed Sept. l1. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l orneyl sept 22, 1925.

F. C. ANDERSON LOCKING DEVICE FOR INTERLOCKING SWITCH STANDS Filed Sept. 11,. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet .2

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Inventor m C?, 6&4 @ggf Patented Sept. 22, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK C. ANDERSON, 03'? CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO' AMERICAN VALVE AND METER COMPANY, 0F CINCINNATI, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

LOCKIG vDEVICE INTEELQCIIING SWITCH STANDS."

Application `filed September 1,1., 1824. VSerial No.. 737,149.

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. ANDERSON,

l a ,citizen of the United States, residing at j Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented Icertain new and useful Improvements in Locking Devices for Interlocking Switch Stands, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to switch-stands, and more especially to switch-stands of the ground-throw type similar to that disclosed and claimed in my prior Patent No. 1,234,- 522, dated July 24, 1917, in which is a provision for automatically latching the switchthrowing lever and for releasing the latch upon manual release of the interlocking mechanism, the latter being engaged automatically by spring pressure upon the switch being completely closed.

The object of my present invention is to lock the interlocking mechanism directly by a manually applied lock, so that, although the latch may operate independently et the interlocking mechanism for latching the lever or `for releasing the same, the interlocking mechanism will remain safely locked should the switch-stand proper and its latch, which heretofore has received the manually applied lock, be torn away from theinterlocking niechanismvin an accident such as may result from the stand being struck by a. projecting object on a passing train, or by a vehicle or the like thrown against the stand by a train. Other objects will appear in the course of the ensuing description.

I attain these objects by the device illus,

trated, for example, in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a general perspective view ot' part of a switch and a switch-stand connected thereto, embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a partial plan view, enlarged, of

the interlocking mechanism including myl improved locking device;

Fig. 3 is a partialside elevation of the same.

l Fig..4. is a vertical longitudinal section of the same; and y Fig. 5 is a partial front elevation of the same, together with the latch, and including the switch-throwing lever in cross-section, i

The switch-Stand 1 has the upright target shaft 2 with bearings in the casing 3, which,

ing in the housing 15, is adapted to extend,y

as is well known in the art, lcontains gearing or the like which transmits motion from the switch-throwing lever 4 thrown in a vertical plane parallel with the track; the lower end of the target shafthaving -a crank connected with the point rails, die of which rails 5 is shown, by the connectingrod 6 and the `bar 7, which is understood to extend across `and connect to the opposite point rail, not shown.

At either end of its throw the lever 4; is received in a respective latch`8 which cornprises a member 9 swinging en a pivot 10 to engage its nose 11 over the lever f1 after being pushed aside hy the down coming lever l engaging a slanting top l2 et this latch member 9. Thehottom oft this member Qhasan extension 13 which, when the interlocking n'iechanism is -not used, 'terms a treadle engaged by the switchmans toot to open the latch; 'and the top` of the latch frame has an ear 14 which, undersuch cir cumstances receives the how of a pad-lock to prevent opening of the latch. Also, as heretofore used with the interlocking mechanism as shown in my prior patent mentioned above, this has been the means for locking the switch manually.

The interlocking housing 15 is set into a gain in one of the head blocks that support the stand, with a stirrup 16 projecting outsidev the head block and having sliding `through it the interlocking har 17 with an opening through which the plunger 18, slidas shown, when the opening of the bar 17 registers with the openings in the stirrup 16 that guide the plunger'. This interlocking bar 17 extends under the stock rail and has its end connected to a delecting guard plate 19 bolted tothe end `of the point rail 5, so that there cannot be registry of the openings to admit the plunger 18 unlessthepoint rail 5 is safely against the stock rail,- As shown in Fig. 4, and also in my ahove mentioned patent, the plunger 18 enters the registering openings under pressure ot a spring 18 in the housing, and is manually withdrawn by engagement of an arm 1S in the housing swinging with fulcrnm hearings in the sides of the housing. In that patent, the fulcruin extends outside the casing, with a treadle fixed on it at one side of the casing, depressed by the switchmans foot and thereby withdrawing the plunger; and this treadle engages the treadle extension 13 of the adjacent latch 8 to open the latch concurrently with releasing of the interlocking mechanism.

In my present invention, instead of a treadle on this part of the interlocking mechanism, there are levers swinging with the inner arm 18, each having two arms 2O and 21, at opposite sides of the housing 15. The arms 20 extend forward, or toward the end of the mechanism receiving the interlocking bar, and one or the other arm 20 is adapted to engage the latch extension 13 as did the treadle in my prior device; while the other arms 21 extend back past the other or rear end .of the housing. The forwardA arms 20 are provided at both sides in order that the same interlocking mechanism may be used with a latch 8 placed at one side or the other of the-mechanism, as is incident to use of the stand at either the right or left side of the track, or for either left-hand or right-hand turnouts.

In one or the other of these installations one or the other arm 20 would operate, with the one at the opposite side'idly swinging therewith.

In my present invention I provide the top of the interlocking housing or casing 15 with an upstanding 'lug 22 just back of the bearing lfor the fulcrum of the arms 2O and 21, and having an ear 23 projecting forward over this bearing. Also, the top of the housing has, just forwardfrom this bearing, the upstanding ears 24. The locking yoke or hasp 25 comprises a hood 26 fitting down over the lug 22 with its front side provided with a slot 27 through which projects the ear 23 of the lug 22 when the hood is down on the lug. this hood 26 the yoke 25 has a hub fitting between the ears 24 of the housing top, and a fulcrum pin 28 extends through the ears `and the hub. From this hub, the treadle 29 extends forward and `slightly upward, forming the front end of the yoke or'hasp 25. From the rear of the hood 26 there is an extension 30 having a depending head 31 at the rear end of the housing 15. A round bar 32 has its ends fixed in the respective rear arms 21 of the side levers, near the rear ends of these arms, and extends through a slot 33 in the head 31 of the extension 30; thus forming a connecting extension from the yoke or hasp 25 to the side levers. The slot 33 permits the relative movement of the hasp 25 and the levers, incident to the diii'erent locations of the fulcrums of the two elements; and when the treadle 29 is depressed by the foot of the switchman, the rear arms 21 are raised, rotating the interlock-operating element of which these arms are unitary parts, withdrawing the plunger 18 from the bar 17. This swings the forward arms 2O of' this element down, and the Some distance forward froml one engaging the extension 13 of the latchV S depresses this treadle, withdrawing the nose 11 of the latch from the lever 4. Thus, the' plunger 18 releases the bar 17, and the latch S releases the switch-throwing lever 4, so that the latter may be swung over, opening the switch by drawing the point rail awa-y from the stock rail.

lVith the bow of a padlock 34 (Fig. 1) inserted in the ear 23, the yoke or lia-sp 25 is prevented from rising, and, by engagementof its extension bar with the arms 21 it prevents rising of these arms as is necessary for withdrawal of the plunger 18 from the bar 17, even were the switch-stand, including its latch 8, torn away. This would not be the case with my prior invention before mentioned, .in which the lock was applied to the latch S and would be carried away with the latch. Thus, danger of with- -drawal of the plunger in the absence of the latch, pending repair, is avoided.

lVith my present invention, the switchstand is manually locked through the mediuml of the plunger and interlocking bar, the point rail and the connecting rod, rather than by locking the switch-throwing lever directly'by means of the latch. It is'possible to swing the latch member 9 away from the lever 4, but with the interlocking plunger engaged, opening of the switch is prevented through the above means. The latch 8 retains its automatic reception of the lever 4 and holds the lever to prevent its vibration by the impact of trafiic on the switch,

rails; but the actual locking is effected by the more directly connected interlocking mechanism. As the pad-lock cannot be inserted into the ear 23 until the hasp or yoke 25 is entirely down and the plungerv 18 is in the opening of the bar 17, and as this opening cannot receive the plunger unless the point rail is safely against the stock rail,

'itis impossible to lock the switch with an obstruction between the stock rail and point rail such asA would hold the railsr apart far enough to endanger traiiic. Thus the function of lmy prior invention is fully performed, and in addition, this insurance of safe relation of the rails is maintained even in the absence of the switch-stand proper, due to an accident of the kind before alluded to. In the direct` locking of the switch rails through the interlocking device, independently of the switch-throwing means, my present invent-ion is similar to that disclosed and claimed in my copending application, Serial No. 21,057, filed April 6, 1925.

Modifications of my invention may occur, in conjunction with modified switch-throwing or interlocking mechanism, or with that herein exemplified; and I do not wish to be understood as being limited to the precise disclosure herein, but having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a switch-stand comprising a switchthrowing element and a latch for said element, interlocking mechanism for said switch-stand, manipulating means for concurrently disengaging said latch and said mechanism, and means for locking said manipulating means.

2. Ina switch-stand comprising a switchthrowing element and a latch automatically retentively receiving said element, interlocking mechanism for said switch-stand, manipulating means engageable with said latch for concurrently disengaging said latch and said mechanism but rleaving said latch free for reception of said switch-throwing element, and means for locking said manipulating means.

3. In a switch-stand, in combination with the switch-throwing element thereof, a latch for said element having an extension depressible for opening the latch, and interlocking mechanism having depressing engagement with said extension, a treadle for operating said mechanism, and means for locking said treadle.

4t. In a switch-stand, in combination with the switch-throwing element thereof and a latch for said element and interlocking mechanism for said switch-stand comprising a housing with an upstanding ear and having operative relation to said latch, means movably mounted on said housing and having an opening through which said ear pro- `iects to receive part of a lock for manually locking said mechanism.

5. In a switch-stand, in combination with the switch-throwing element thereof and a latch for said element, interlocking mechanism comprising a housing with an upstanding ear and having` an arm swinging at one side of said housing to engage with said latch, and a locking member swinging on said housing having an extension operatively related to said arm and having an aperture through which said ear extends to receive part of a lock for manually locking said mechanism.

6. In a switch-stand, in combination with the switch-throwing element thereof and a latch for said element, interlocking mechanism comprising a housing and having an arm swinging at one side of said housing to engage with said latch, and means on said housing for locking said arm.

7. In a switch-stand, in combination with swinging at opposite sides of said housing,

one or the other arm being adapted to engage with said latch accordingly as said latch is at one or the other side of said khousing, and means on said housing for locking said arms.

8. In a switch-stand, in combination with the switch-throwing element thereof and a latch for said element, interlocking mechanism comprising a housing and having a two-armed lever swinging at one side of said housing, an arm of which is adapted to engage with said latch, and a locking member swinging on said housing having an eXtension operatively related to the other arm of said lever, said locking member being adapted to be manually locked against operat-ive movement.

9. In a switch-stand, in combination with i the switch-throwing element thereof and a latch for said element, interlocking mechanism comprising a housing and having levers swinging at opposite sides of said housing, each lever having two arms, and a locking member swinging on said housing, adapted to be locked against operative movement and having operative relation to one arm of each lever, the other arm of one lever or the other being adapted to engage with said latch, accordingly as the latch is on one or the other side of said housing.

l0. A locking member for switch-interlocking mechanism comprising an apertured middle part, means for pivoting said member near one end of said middle part, means for operatively connecting said member to the mechanism, near the other end of said middle part, and an extension on said member adapted to be engaged for swinging said member.

l1. A housing for switch-interlocking mechanism having pivoting means and a locking ear on it-s top, and a locking member having ka hood part fitting around said ear with an aperture through which said ear extends to receive a lock, means for operatively connecting said locking member to the mechanism, means for pivoting said member to said housing, and means on said member adapted to be engaged for swinging said member on said housing.

FRANK C. ANDERSON.

llO 

